Oat milk lattes, prayer rooms, innovation hubs with neon signs and meeting spaces with treadmills are not usually the things you would associate with an office space.
The Deloitte Summit building, the company’s newest headquarters that opened its doors Thursday, is pushing the boundaries of what an office can be. Spanning eight floors and approximately 104,400 square feet, the building was described by Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim as the “future of Vancouver’s downtown core.”
“Beautiful places like this really energize our city centre by bringing together creativity, innovation, economic activity and sustainability,” said Sim, after adding that the reason he is KPMG alumni is because he was turned down for an interview with Deloitte.
Beyond the cushy amenities, the office also features work by renowned artist Marie Khouri as well as several Indigenous artists, according to a press release.
The layout of the office is also unique with 18 different types of work spaces that are shared by all employees. These range from standing desks to work stations with dual monitors and large community-style work tables. No one in the new headquarters has their own office, creating an egalitarian approach to the space, said Jodi Evans, B.C. regional managing partner at Deloitte Canada.
When Glacier Media inquired if Anthony Viel, CEO of Deloitte Canada, had an office, he said that like everyone else, he works in the shared space. Viel described how he would work alongside other unknowing employees, only for them to realize they were sitting next to the CEO of the company.
Another pinnacle of the space is the Deloitte Greenhouse Experience Program. Marketed as a meeting place for change makers, disruptors and cross-sector leaders, the room’s decor and atmosphere are meant to “change your mindset” the minute you walk through its illuminated green arch.
The office also has a fitness centre, including a yoga room.
